Effects of long-haul transmeridian travel on physiological, sleep, perceptual and mood markers in Olympic team support staff

Nov 11, 2022Chronobiology international

How long-distance cross-time-zone travel affects body functions, sleep, perception, and mood in Olympic team support staff

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Abstract

Participants perceived themselves to be significantly jet lagged for six days post-travel (p < .05).

Morning cortisol levels decreased by 66% on the first day post-travel and remained significantly lower than baseline until day six (p ≤ .03).
Participants reported worse sleep quality upon arrival and on several subsequent days, with significant reductions in sleep duration and efficiency (C2, C3, C6; p ≤ .01, p ≤ .04).
Negative changes in mood states were observed in the evenings after long-haul travel, including increased confusion, fatigue, and depression (C2, C3; p ≤ .02, p ≤ .05).
It took seven days for perceived jet lag, physiological markers for circadian rhythm, and sleep to return to baseline levels after eastward travel across eight time zones.
Despite normalization of jet lag and fatigue symptoms by day 15, participants continued to exhibit low vigor, suggesting a persistent negative mood profile.

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The objective of this study was to holistically examine the impact of long-haul transmeridian travel (LHTT) on perceptual, mood, sleep and physiological markers in Olympic team support staff travelling to Japan for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. An observational descriptive study design was used. Nine support staff members of the Irish Olympic team (2 M/7 F; age 34.3 ± 8.3 y (mean ±SD)) embarked on a long-haul (LH) eastward flight across eight time-zones from Ireland to Japan (approx. 24 h total travel time), to work at the Irish Team's 2020 Summer pre-Olympic Games camp, postponed to July 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic. Perceived jet lag and travel fatigue symptoms, mood states and salivary markers for circadian rhythm and stress were assessed in the morning and evening during the week prior to travel as baseline (BL) measures and on days 1 to 8 (C1-C8) and day 15 (C15) post-travel. Night-time sleep (duration and quality) was monitored via actigraphy monitors and self-report sleep diaries. Participants perceived themselves to be significantly jet lagged for six days post-travel (p < .05). Morning sCort decreased by 66% on C1 and remained significantly lower than BL until C6 (p ≤ .03). On arrival participants perceived sleep to be worse than BL on arrival (C1, C2, C4, C5; p ≤ .04), with significantly shorter sleep duration (C2, C3, C6; p ≤ .01) and lower sleep efficiency (C2, C6; p ≤ .04) recorded by actigraphy, all normalizing by C7. Negative changes in mood states were evident in the evening time following LHTT, with significant elevations in confusion (C2, C3, p ≤ .02), fatigue (C2, C3; p ≤ .03) and depression (C3, C7; p < .05) and reduction in vigour (C2, C6, C7; p < .05). Following LHTT in an eastward direction across eight time-zones, it took seven days for perceived jet lag, physiological markers for circadian rhythm and sleep to normalize in Olympic team support staff. Despite alleviation of jet lag and fatigue and return of sleep to normal by C15, vigor remained low, indicating a "submerged" mood profile in these Olympic team support staff. These findings highlight the need to put strategies in place before and after LHTT for the Olympic Games to assist Olympic team support staff to maximize sleep, minimize stress and assist with expediating recovery from jet lag and travel fatigue, allowing them to perform optimally in supporting Olympic athletes in their final preparations for the Games.

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Effects of long-haul transmeridian travel on physiological, sleep, perceptual and mood markers in Olympic team support staff

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